versión impresa ISSN 1018-130Xversión On-line ISSN 1729-214X

Resumen

Objective: To describe the characteristics of Internet use by medical interns in four universities in Lima Metropolitana. Material and methods: Cross-sectional study based on a validated survey. We were included in the study results of 192 surveys (response rate 83.5%) of stratified sample. Results: All students said using Internet. The mean age of students was 24.8 ± 1.8 years, 46.9% were female and 43.8% were from state universities. Access was 80.2% from home, 26.6% from public cabins, 21.9% from university and 10.9% from the hospital. Access from home was higher among students in private universities (p <0.001). 96.4% used it with academic purpose. Usage more than seven hours per week was higher in students of private universities that in state universities (49.1% and 25% respectively). 50.5% used Pubmed and 14.1% LILACS, Hinari 66.7% SciELO 0.5% and Cochrane 24.5%. Less than one fifth of the students reported having received training search and retrieval of information. Conclusion: Although the use is for academic purposes, most uses less than one hour a day and almost no access from the hospital, access to databases of useful information is reduced. The universities need to train students in searching and retrieving information. (Rev Med Hered 2009;20:156-161).